Rod clip



Sept. 21, 194 8. ALBERT 2,449,830

ROD CLIP Filed March 1, 1946 Patented Sept. 21, 1948 UNI TED STATES PATENT 2,449,830

"ROD CLIP Robert. M. Albert, Chicago Ill. Application March 1, 1946; Serial N 651,067

The invention relates to improvements in gare merit blockers and moreparticularly to astructure embodying novel rneansxfor enabling ad justment of a garment: blockerto accommodate garments of various sizes, and: for securing it in. such adjusted position.

Garments are normally ofvaried. size and style to conform with the dimensional and shape characteristics of diiferent. individuals. .Whe-n garments of knit. construction are laundered, it is common practice to employ. suitablemeans for retaining the garmentin substantially its initial dry configuration, whilev in someqinstances it is desirable tostretch various portionsthereof to overcome certain deficiencies in the original-size and shape of the garment. Stretching and block ing of a garment. of knit. construction is best accomplishedby fittingothe garment on a suitable frame embodying the desired size and shape characteristics. However; such frames, which are commonly referred to as garment blockers, necessarily are adjustable in their construction so as to accommodategarments oi various sizes, and to adapt the blocker for use as a stretcher.

Various devices have been. proposed forjafe' fording means to facilitate ready; adjustment; of arment blockers. of thekind-rcferred to. Many such means; howeven. embodyiistructures; interfere with the. garment: when. the latter. is arranged on the blocker, while other structures are difficult to manipulate, or otherwise embody such characteristics as not to make them entirely satisfactory.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a garment blocker with novel means to facilitate adjustment and subsequent securement of the blocker after adjustment to accommodate garments of various sizes and shapes.

Another object is to provide a novelly constructed clamp for cooperatin with relatively movable portions of a garment blocker to retain said blocker in various positions of adjustment.

Another object is to provide an improved, simple and dependable means for maintaining a garment blocker in adjusted position and for effecting ready release of the parts held thereby.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and which is considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or desired: by those skilled in the artvwithout departing from the present invention and" a; par-- view of the appendedclaims.

lnthe-drawing:

Fig. 1 is a: front. elevational v-iew of'a-garment blocker embodying features of; the present invention; and showing a: portion of ne of the arm Fig. 4 is :ansectional -vi'ewzitakenrorrline -4 4".

of Fig. 2.

In. the-exemplary embodiment. of a-ngarment: blocker shown the; accompanying drawin-g,.said blocker includes. a. bodyportion :"consisting of I a pair ofwframev members- I i and [Z which are adaptedxtoa cooperate with each other to: define a. substantially rectangularframe" of such-.size

and shape as: to bereadil'y received Within agarment-LKEach of themembers H and $2 isiashioned from suitable-- sti'fif 4 wire or rod stock; and

which-project in the direction 0t the member M to overlie similar extensions l5" and 1 6' on said member l2. The related extensions I3-l5 and i l-I6 are adapted to be moved longitudinally relative to each other in such manner that the overall width of the blocker frame may be varied to suit variously sized garments. In use, the blocker frame is inserted into the body of the wet garment, and the frame members H and I2 are moved away from one another so as to draw the garment substantially taut.

Suitable means, such as hook elements H, are provided on the ends of one of each pair of the oo-related end extensions l3-| 5 and l4l6 so as to guide them in their related movement. A clamp, generally indicated at It, also is associated with the related pairs of end extensions [3-H and l4--I6, which clamp embodies means adapted to be actuated for frictionally binding the related extensions one to the other so as to prevent relative movement therebetween. These clamps l8 are of such construction as to lie within the plane of the frame so as not to interfere with the garment arranged thereover.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the clamp l8 consists of a strap of relatively stiff sheet stock bent substantially U-shaped and fitted over equivalentprinciple may be :used and structural changes may be made as:

one of the extensions, such as l6, with its projecting leg portions l9 embracing the other of the extensions, such as I4. The leg portions f9 of the clamp are of a length to extend a, considerable distance beyond the extension M, as shown, so as to afford means for pivotally connecting a U- shaped lever 21 thereto. The bifurcated lever 2| embraces the leg portions l9 and is pivotally secured thereto as by means of a pin or rivet 22 which extends through both the walls of the lever 2| and leg portions l9. The pin 22 is formed with heads 25 substantially larger in diameter than the diameter of the pin body so as to thereby provide positive means to prevent spreading of the U-shaped lever 2|,

The corner portions 23 of the leg portions [9 of the clamp I8 are each flared outwardly into the plane of the U-shape lever 2! so that when the lever 21 is moved about its pivot 22 from the full line position shown in Fig. 2 into either one of the dotted line positions illustrated, the flared corners 23 are engaged by said lever and act as cams to urge the leg portions IQ of the clamp inwardly towards each other to frictionally bind the rod extensions I l-l5 therebetween. Such frictional binding of the rod extensions I l-l6 prevents relative movement of said frame members I l and I2 and thereby retains the blocker frame in a position of adjustment. Suitable protuberances 24 are formed in each of the leg portions 19 of the clamp to provide positive stops for limiting pivotal movement of the lever 2| so that said lever cannot, at any time, be moved over and beyond the flared corners 23.

It should be quite evident that the clamp l8 embodies manually actuable means for effecting release or clamping of the related frame extensions associated therewith, and that said means is confined wholly within the plane of the blocker frame so that at no time will it interfere with a garment arranged thereover. The clamp further is of such construction as to be easily operated by inexperienced persons and is very positive in operation. The garment blocker illustrated is, of course, provided, with suitable arm extensions 26 which may be suitably attached as by clips 21 to the respective frame portions i. I and l 2.

Although an exemplary form of the invention has been disclosed herein, it should be understood that it is capable of embodying a wide variety of modifications in detail construction and that a greater number of clamps 18 than is shown may be provided to increase the adjustability of the frame blocker, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clamp for binding two rods laid side by side against relative sliding movement comprising a strip of shape-retaining material formed substantially U -shape with its leg portions embracing said rods, a bifurcated lever pivotally connected to both leg portions, and cam surfaces on said leg portions engageable by said lever to compress the clamp tightly about said rods to tive movement of said rods.

2. A clamp for binding two rods laid side by side against relative sliding movement comprising a strip of shape-retaining material formed substantially U-shape with its leg portions embracing said rods, cam surfaces on the ends of said leg portions, and a bifurcated lever pivotally connected to both leg portions, said lever being selectively movable into engagement with said cam surfaces to compress the clamp portions tightly about the rods.

3. A clamp for binding two rods laid side by side against relative sliding movement comprising a strip of shape-retaining material formed substantially U-shape with its leg portions embracing said rods, cam surfaces on the ends of said leg portions, a bifurcated lever pivotally connected to both leg portions, said lever being selectively movable into engagement with said cam surfaces to compress the clamp portions tightly about the rods, and stops on said leg portions to limit pivotal movement of said lever.

ROBERT M. ALBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Burwell Sept. 10, 1940 prevent rela- 

